|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
Tours in Vienna |
Stephansdom (St Stephen's Cathedral)
The imposing St Stephen's Cathedral marks Graben's eastern end and is easily spotted, due to its brightly coloured roof tiles, from more distant viewpoints. Construction began on the cathedral in the 12th century and was completed in 1433. Major restoration and rebuilding work was necessary after the cathedral caught fire at the end of WWII.
01, Stephansplatz 1
Tel: (01) 5155 23520.
Website: www.stephanskirche.at
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0600-2200, Sun 0700-2200; English services Sat 1900, services with musical arrangement Sun 1015 (Sep-Jun), Sun 0930 (Jul-Aug); guided tours Mon-Sat between 0900-1130 and 1300-1630, Sun 1300-1630.
Admission charge.
Hofburg
The Imperial Palace until 1918, the Hofburg is almost a city in itself. Today, it houses the office of the Austrian president, an international conference centre, a number of museums, the chapel where the Vienna Boys' Choir sings and the hall in which the Lipizzan stallions perform. Visitors can tour the Kaiserappartements (Imperial Apartments), including Franz Joseph's and Sisi's (Empress Elisabeth's) private rooms, the great audience hall, dining rooms and staterooms. The Silberkammer (Imperial Silver Collection) is also on show. The Schatzkammer (Treasury), Schweizerhof 1, contains stunning exhibits that exemplify the power and wealth of one of Europe's most important empires. The Imperial crown of the Holy Roman Empire rests here, as does the crown of the Austrian Empire, the 15th-century Burgundian treasure and the treasure of the Order of the Golden Fleece. The Sisi Museum, which opened in 2004 to commemorate the 150th wedding anniversary of Empress Elisabeth and Emperor Franz Joseph, showcases many personal objects and some of the most famous portraits of the beautiful empress. Last but not least, the Prunksaal (State Hall) of the Nationalbibliothek (Austrian National Library) is a jewel of profane baroque architecture and one of the most beautiful historical libraries in the world, and should not be missed.
01, Innerer Burghof 1, Kaisertor
Tel: (01) 533 7570 (Imperial Apartments, Imperial Silver Collection and Sisi Museum) or 5252 44025 (Treasury).
Website: www.hofburg.wien.info or www.hofburg-wien.at
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1700 (Imperial Apartments, Imperial Silver Collection and Sisi Museum); Wed-Mon 1000-1800 (Treasury).
Admission charge.
State Hall of the Austrian National Library
01, Josefsplatz 1
Tel: (01) 534 100.
Website: www.onb.ac.at
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1800, Thurs 1000-2100.
Admission charge.
Spanische Hofreitschule (Spanish Riding School)
For over 400 years, the horses of the Spanish Riding School have performed their elegant manoeuvres at the Imperial Stables. The Lipizzaner Museum Wien (situated at the stables) traces the history of these renowned performing horses and offers the opportunity to see into the animals' quarters. The easiest way for visitors to see the horses in action is at their morning training sessions, 1000-1200 Tuesday to Saturday. Tickets to the training sessions, which involve classical dressage exercise to music, are only available at the door on the day. Tickets for the actual performances are in high demand and need to be booked well in advance. The season generally runs from March to June and from September to December. Gala performances vary from month to month, usually Saturday or Sunday mornings and occasionally Friday evenings. Tickets are available on the Internet, by post or by fax and cost and are expensive (standing room is cheaper). Final dress rehearsals before the season starts are cheaper and tickets are available on a first-come-first-served basis.
01, Michaelerplatz 1 (Riding School ticket office), Reitschulgasse 2 (Lipizzaner Museum)
Tel: (01) 533 9031 (Riding School) or 5252 43450 (Lipizzaner Museum).
Website: www.spanische-reitschule.com or www.lipizzaner.at
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1800 (museum); Tues-Sat 1000-1200 (morning training sessions). Guided tours Tues-Sat in the afternoon. Gala performances are usually held on Sunday morning at 1100, occasionally on Friday evenings.
Admission charge.
Schloß Schönbrunn (Schönbrunn Palace)
Schönbrunn Palace is Vienna's answer to Versailles and was used as the summer residence of the Habsburgs from the 18th century until 1918. Of the 1,441 rooms in the palace and its adjacent buildings, 40 state rooms are open to the public. The golden-yellow palace is set within equally magnificent gardens, landscaped in the baroque style, with some fabulous views. The palace and gardens are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Gloriette is a triumphal arch that stands on the hilltop behind the palace and affords a stunning view over the grounds and the city beyond. The Palmenhaus (Palm House) is an excellent example of late 19th-century architecture, with cast iron columns delicately holding up the glass walls and roof. The world's oldest zoo can be found in the park. It was commissioned in 1752, to amuse and educate the court.
13, Schönbrunn Palace
Tel: (01) 81113 ext. 239.
Website: www.schoenbrunn.at
Opening hours: Daily 0830-1700 (Apr-Oct, until 1800 Jul and Aug); daily 0830-1630 (Nov-Mar).
Admission charge.
Belvedere
The Oberes Belvedere (Upper Belvedere Palace), which was built in 1721-23 for Prince Eugene of Savoy, offers terrific views across the gardens to the Unteres Belvedere (Lower Belvedere) and the city beyond. Artwork from the middle ages and the Baroque era is featured in the Unteres Belvedere. The Oberes Belvedere houses art from the 19th-century classical, Romantic and Biedermeier periods on the second floor and post-1918 art on the ground floor. The first floor, however, is what draws visitors, with paintings by Gustav Klimt (including der Küss), Egon Schiele, Oskar Kokoschka and other fin-de-siècle artists.
03, Österreichische Galerie Belvedere, Prinz Eugenstrasse 27
Tel: (01) 79557.
Website: www.belvedere.at
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1800 (Oberes Belvedere); Thurs-Tues 1000-1800, Wed 1000-2100 (Unteres Belvedere).
Admission charge.
Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts)
This museum was built to house the Imperial Hapsburg collections in one place, although these have now grown to such an extent that some are housed in the Hofburg and in Schönbrunn Palace (see above). The grand staircase here provides passage to the galleries, which include the Antiquities, Egyptian-Oriental and Coin collections. The Kunstkammer (art chamber) houses sculpture and decorative arts. The Gemäldegalerie (picture gallery) has works by Old Masters, including Dürer, Raphael, Rembrandt, Rubens and Titian, and the most comprehensive collection of Brueghels in the world.
01, Maria-Theresien-Platz 1
Tel: (01) 525 240.
Website: www.khm.at
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1800 (until 2100 Thurs).
Admission charge.
MuseumsQuartier
On the site of the former imperial stables, this large cultural complex, which opened in 2001, is one of the biggest of its kind in the world. Don't miss the excellent Leopold Museum, a must for anyone interested in Austrian art, and MUMOK, the Museum of Modern Art. The MuseumsQuartier (MQ) is a very pleasant place to hang out for a few hours, especially in summer, as the place is packed with students and young people relaxing outside or in one of the many cafes.
07, Museumplatz 1
Tel: (01) 523 5881 or 52570-0 (Leopold Museum) or 52500 (MUMOK).
Website: www.mqw.at or www.leopoldmuseum.org or www.mumok.at
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 1000-1900, Thurs 1000-2100 (Leopold Museum);
Tues-Sun 1000-1800, Thurs 1000-2100 (MUMOK).
Admission charge Leopold Museum and MUMOK.
The imposing St Stephen's Cathedral marks Graben's eastern end and is easily spotted, due to its brightly coloured roof tiles, from more distant viewpoints. Construction began on the cathedral in the 12th century and was completed in 1433. Major restoration and rebuilding work was necessary after the cathedral caught fire at the end of WWII.
01, Stephansplatz 1
Tel: (01) 5155 23520.
Website: www.stephanskirche.at
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0600-2200, Sun 0700-2200; English services Sat 1900, services with musical arrangement Sun 1015 (Sep-Jun), Sun 0930 (Jul-Aug); guided tours Mon-Sat between 0900-1130 and 1300-1630, Sun 1300-1630.
Admission charge.
Hofburg
The Imperial Palace until 1918, the Hofburg is almost a city in itself. Today, it houses the office of the Austrian president, an international conference centre, a number of museums, the chapel where the Vienna Boys' Choir sings and the hall in which the Lipizzan stallions perform. Visitors can tour the Kaiserappartements (Imperial Apartments), including Franz Joseph's and Sisi's (Empress Elisabeth's) private rooms, the great audience hall, dining rooms and staterooms. The Silberkammer (Imperial Silver Collection) is also on show. The Schatzkammer (Treasury), Schweizerhof 1, contains stunning exhibits that exemplify the power and wealth of one of Europe's most important empires. The Imperial crown of the Holy Roman Empire rests here, as does the crown of the Austrian Empire, the 15th-century Burgundian treasure and the treasure of the Order of the Golden Fleece. The Sisi Museum, which opened in 2004 to commemorate the 150th wedding anniversary of Empress Elisabeth and Emperor Franz Joseph, showcases many personal objects and some of the most famous portraits of the beautiful empress. Last but not least, the Prunksaal (State Hall) of the Nationalbibliothek (Austrian National Library) is a jewel of profane baroque architecture and one of the most beautiful historical libraries in the world, and should not be missed.
01, Innerer Burghof 1, Kaisertor
Tel: (01) 533 7570 (Imperial Apartments, Imperial Silver Collection and Sisi Museum) or 5252 44025 (Treasury).
Website: www.hofburg.wien.info or www.hofburg-wien.at
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1700 (Imperial Apartments, Imperial Silver Collection and Sisi Museum); Wed-Mon 1000-1800 (Treasury).
Admission charge.
State Hall of the Austrian National Library
01, Josefsplatz 1
Tel: (01) 534 100.
Website: www.onb.ac.at
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1800, Thurs 1000-2100.
Admission charge.
Spanische Hofreitschule (Spanish Riding School)
For over 400 years, the horses of the Spanish Riding School have performed their elegant manoeuvres at the Imperial Stables. The Lipizzaner Museum Wien (situated at the stables) traces the history of these renowned performing horses and offers the opportunity to see into the animals' quarters. The easiest way for visitors to see the horses in action is at their morning training sessions, 1000-1200 Tuesday to Saturday. Tickets to the training sessions, which involve classical dressage exercise to music, are only available at the door on the day. Tickets for the actual performances are in high demand and need to be booked well in advance. The season generally runs from March to June and from September to December. Gala performances vary from month to month, usually Saturday or Sunday mornings and occasionally Friday evenings. Tickets are available on the Internet, by post or by fax and cost and are expensive (standing room is cheaper). Final dress rehearsals before the season starts are cheaper and tickets are available on a first-come-first-served basis.
01, Michaelerplatz 1 (Riding School ticket office), Reitschulgasse 2 (Lipizzaner Museum)
Tel: (01) 533 9031 (Riding School) or 5252 43450 (Lipizzaner Museum).
Website: www.spanische-reitschule.com or www.lipizzaner.at
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1800 (museum); Tues-Sat 1000-1200 (morning training sessions). Guided tours Tues-Sat in the afternoon. Gala performances are usually held on Sunday morning at 1100, occasionally on Friday evenings.
Admission charge.
Schloß Schönbrunn (Schönbrunn Palace)
Schönbrunn Palace is Vienna's answer to Versailles and was used as the summer residence of the Habsburgs from the 18th century until 1918. Of the 1,441 rooms in the palace and its adjacent buildings, 40 state rooms are open to the public. The golden-yellow palace is set within equally magnificent gardens, landscaped in the baroque style, with some fabulous views. The palace and gardens are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Gloriette is a triumphal arch that stands on the hilltop behind the palace and affords a stunning view over the grounds and the city beyond. The Palmenhaus (Palm House) is an excellent example of late 19th-century architecture, with cast iron columns delicately holding up the glass walls and roof. The world's oldest zoo can be found in the park. It was commissioned in 1752, to amuse and educate the court.
13, Schönbrunn Palace
Tel: (01) 81113 ext. 239.
Website: www.schoenbrunn.at
Opening hours: Daily 0830-1700 (Apr-Oct, until 1800 Jul and Aug); daily 0830-1630 (Nov-Mar).
Admission charge.
Belvedere
The Oberes Belvedere (Upper Belvedere Palace), which was built in 1721-23 for Prince Eugene of Savoy, offers terrific views across the gardens to the Unteres Belvedere (Lower Belvedere) and the city beyond. Artwork from the middle ages and the Baroque era is featured in the Unteres Belvedere. The Oberes Belvedere houses art from the 19th-century classical, Romantic and Biedermeier periods on the second floor and post-1918 art on the ground floor. The first floor, however, is what draws visitors, with paintings by Gustav Klimt (including der Küss), Egon Schiele, Oskar Kokoschka and other fin-de-siècle artists.
03, Österreichische Galerie Belvedere, Prinz Eugenstrasse 27
Tel: (01) 79557.
Website: www.belvedere.at
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1800 (Oberes Belvedere); Thurs-Tues 1000-1800, Wed 1000-2100 (Unteres Belvedere).
Admission charge.
Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts)
This museum was built to house the Imperial Hapsburg collections in one place, although these have now grown to such an extent that some are housed in the Hofburg and in Schönbrunn Palace (see above). The grand staircase here provides passage to the galleries, which include the Antiquities, Egyptian-Oriental and Coin collections. The Kunstkammer (art chamber) houses sculpture and decorative arts. The Gemäldegalerie (picture gallery) has works by Old Masters, including Dürer, Raphael, Rembrandt, Rubens and Titian, and the most comprehensive collection of Brueghels in the world.
01, Maria-Theresien-Platz 1
Tel: (01) 525 240.
Website: www.khm.at
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1800 (until 2100 Thurs).
Admission charge.
MuseumsQuartier
On the site of the former imperial stables, this large cultural complex, which opened in 2001, is one of the biggest of its kind in the world. Don't miss the excellent Leopold Museum, a must for anyone interested in Austrian art, and MUMOK, the Museum of Modern Art. The MuseumsQuartier (MQ) is a very pleasant place to hang out for a few hours, especially in summer, as the place is packed with students and young people relaxing outside or in one of the many cafes.
07, Museumplatz 1
Tel: (01) 523 5881 or 52570-0 (Leopold Museum) or 52500 (MUMOK).
Website: www.mqw.at or www.leopoldmuseum.org or www.mumok.at
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 1000-1900, Thurs 1000-2100 (Leopold Museum);
Tues-Sun 1000-1800, Thurs 1000-2100 (MUMOK).
Admission charge Leopold Museum and MUMOK.
View Our Airport Guides for Vienna:
Vienna International Airport